Sunpu Museum in Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Prefecture, opens "Hiroki Takeda Exhibition – The Pulse of Life –" on October 24, 2026 (Saturday) — watercolor artist Hiroki Takeda's first solo exhibition in Shizuoka.
During the run, visitors can enjoy a range of experiences centered on the artwork, including three days of live painting sessions, a limited multi-day pass, and a cafe and sweets lineup from popular local shops.
Exhibition Concept
The Pulse of Life, Felt Through the Five Senses
Takeda's work is defined by the vivid, luminous colors of transparent watercolor and the fine detail achieved with an extra-fine brush. His animals, formed from gathered flowers, seem to breathe with a pulse of life you can almost hear.
The white space left in the backgrounds draws attention to each motif, and up close, the blending of water and color in the brushwork conveys a sense of life taking root.
This long-awaited first Shizuoka exhibition traces Takeda's artistic development and exploration in chronological order, from his early sketches to standout pieces from official collaborations with a popular video game and a landmark manga, showing the breadth of his work.
The exhibition presents a world where animals and plants coexist, and the pulse of life within it, for visitors to experience through all five senses.
Fuji at Dusk
Exhibition Highlights
1. Witness a Rare Moment: Three Days of Live Painting
Takeda himself will be on-site for three days (November 21–23) to complete a large-scale piece through live painting. Visitors can watch up close as watercolor and pigment blend on paper and, over time, flowers gather and transform into an animal — a process that feels almost like magic.
Date: November 21 (Sat) to November 23 (Mon, holiday), 2026, around 11:00 AM to around 3:00 PM (times may vary)
Location: Sunpu Museum, exhibition hall
2. A 3-Day Multi-Day Pass to Follow the Creative Process
To let visitors enjoy the entire live-painting process, a special multi-day pass allowing unlimited re-entry over the three days of November 21–23 will be sold at the same-day box office only.
Pulse of Paradise
3. Meet the Artist: Gallery Talk & Signing Event
Date: October 25, 2026 (Sunday) — Gallery talk from 10:30 AM / Signing from 11:15 AM
Venue: Sunpu Museum, exhibition hall
Admission: Free (museum admission required; advance registration required)
Takeda will sign books purchased at the venue.
Related Food and Experience Events
Museum Cafe (food trucks): November 21 (Sat) and 22 (Sun). A different popular food truck each day, offering food and drinks to enjoy alongside the art.
Shizuoka Sweets Palette: November 21 (Sat) to 23 (Mon, holiday). Local Japanese and Western confectionery shops — Bebe Nature, Ohana no Ohagi Hanako, and Wagashi Kinaco — sell recommended sweets inspired by flowers and Mount Fuji.
Workshop (Flower Bag Charm): November 21 (Sat). A handmade-craft lesson led by Flower Factory (limited to the first 20 participants; advance registration required).
Stretching Flower Cat
Exhibition Overview
Exhibition: Hiroki Takeda Exhibition – The Pulse of Life –
Dates: October 24 (Sat), 2026 to January 11 (Mon, holiday), 2027
Venue: Sunpu Museum (3-1-1 Toro, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka City; Shizuoka Shimbun Hoso Kaikan Annex, 2F)
Hours: 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM (last admission 4:00 PM)
Closed: Mondays (or the following day if Monday is a public holiday or substitute holiday); also closed December 26 to January 4 for the New Year holiday
Admission: General ¥800 / High school students ¥400 / Free for junior high school students and younger, and visitors presenting a disability certificate
Organizer: Sunpu Museum, Shizuoka Shimbun and Shizuoka Broadcasting System
Support: Shizuoka City, Yaizu City, Fujieda City, Shizuoka City Board of Education
Cooperation: Art to Heritage Co., Ltd.
Exhibited works, special events, and cafe and merchandise details are subject to change or cancellation without notice. Please check the official website for the latest information.
